Bone cell response to fluid shear stress and cyclic compressive strain in 3D trabecular bone

Mechanical loading is a critical factor that regulate functional bone adaptation and trabecular bone architecture is dependent on the mechanical environment within bone tissue. The aim of this study is to investigate the bone cell response to mechanical loading in a 3D trabecular bone environment using two different bone cell loading mechanism. We established a 3D trabecular bone explant model and applied either oscillatory fluid flow induced shear stress or cyclic compressive strain. Our results indicate that fluid shear stress increases alkaline phosphatase activity as well as mRNA levels of collagen type I and core binding factor 1. Mechanical compressive strain also increases alkaline phosphatase activity and collagen type I mRNA but to a lesser degree compared to fluid shear stress. These results suggest that fluid shear stress may be a more potent stimulus than cyclic compressive strain in inducing bone formation in 3D trabecular bone structure.